Marriott Nightly Upgrade Awards (NUAs) are a popular perk for elite members, allowing you to request a confirmable upgrade to a premium room or suite in advance of your stay. They're a great way to elevate your hotel experience, but their use is a bit different from a standard check-in upgrade. Here's a comprehensive guide to how they work.
Step 1: Getting and Understanding Your Nightly Upgrade Awards
Before you can use an NUA, you need to earn one! This benefit is for high-tier members of the Marriott Bonvoy program.
How to Earn Them
Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status: You get the option to choose five Nightly Upgrade Awards as an Annual Choice Benefit when you reach 50 Elite Night Credits in a calendar year. If you hit 75 Elite Night Credits, you can select another five, for a maximum of 10 per year.
Credit Cards: Some co-branded Marriott credit cards, like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, also offer the opportunity to earn Nightly Upgrade Awards as a benefit after meeting a certain spending threshold.
Key Points to Remember
Expiration: NUAs expire on December 31 of the year following the year in which they were earned. For example, if you earned them in 2024, they'll expire on December 31, 2025.
Use-it-or-lose-it: Once they expire, they're gone. It's a good idea to keep track of your NUAs and plan your trips accordingly.
They aren't guaranteed: An NUA is a request, not a guarantee. The upgrade is subject to availability and is confirmed in the days leading up to your stay.
Step 2: Booking an Eligible Stay
You can only apply NUAs to eligible reservations. To start, you need to book a stay directly through Marriott's channels.
Making the Reservation
Book Directly: Your reservation must be a Marriott Bonvoy-eligible paid stay, a Free Night Award stay, or a Cash & Points stay. This means booking on the Marriott website, the Marriott Bonvoy app, or through a Marriott call center. Third-party bookings (like Expedia or Booking.com) are not eligible.
Confirm Eligibility: It's important to note that not all Marriott brands or properties participate in the NUA program. For instance, some premium brands and a few specific hotels may be excluded. If a hotel participates, you'll see the option to apply an NUA after you've booked your room.
Step 3: Applying Your Nightly Upgrade Awards
This is the fun part! Once your reservation is confirmed, you can apply your NUAs.
The Application Process
Find Your Trip: Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account and go to your "My Trips" or "Reservations" section.
Initiate the Request: On your reservation details page, you should see an option to "Start Upgrade Request". If you don't see this, it's likely because the reservation is ineligible or the hotel doesn't participate.
Select Your Upgrade Choices: The system will show you a list of eligible premium rooms and suites at that particular hotel. You can select multiple options to increase your chances of an upgrade. Being flexible is key! For a one-night stay, you can select one room type. For a four-night stay, you can select up to four different room types. The system will then try to match your request to any of the available options.
Confirm and Wait: After selecting your preferences, you'll submit the request. Marriott will send you a confirmation email stating that they've received your request. Now, the waiting game begins.
Step 4: The Confirmation Window and What to Expect
The confirmation process for NUAs is automated and begins in the days leading up to your stay.
When Confirmation Happens ⏰
Most Brands: For most Marriott brands, the system starts checking for upgrade availability five days before your arrival.
Luxury Brands: For certain luxury brands, like EDITION, The Ritz-Carlton, and St. Regis, the check begins three days before arrival.
Daily Check: If your upgrade isn't confirmed on the first day, the system will continue to check for availability every day until around 2 p.m. local hotel time on the day before arrival.
Confirmation or Denial:
If a premium room or suite becomes available, you'll receive an email confirming your upgrade. Congratulations!
If no upgrades are available by the deadline, you'll be notified via email, and your Nightly Upgrade Awards will be returned to your account to be used for a future stay.
Step 5: Important Rules and Tips for Success
Maximizing your chances of a successful NUA redemption often comes down to strategy.
Important Rules to Follow ✅
One Award per Night: You need to have enough NUAs in your account to cover the entire length of your stay. For example, a three-night stay requires three NUAs. You cannot use them for partial nights.
Cannot Transfer: NUAs are tied to your account and cannot be transferred or gifted to another person.
Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel an unconfirmed NUA request, you can do so up until 2 p.m. local hotel time on the day before arrival. If you cancel the entire reservation after an NUA has been confirmed, the awards will be returned, but you'll lose any points or cash you spent on the stay, according to the hotel's cancellation policy.
Tips for Increasing Your Chances
Book During Off-Peak Times: Weekday stays, off-season travel, and less popular destinations often have a higher likelihood of success.
Choose Hotels with More Suites: Researching a hotel's room inventory can be helpful. A property with a larger number of premium rooms and suites will generally have better NUA availability.
Apply Early: While the system won't check for availability until the days leading up to your stay, applying as soon as you book your reservation ensures your request is in the queue.
Check the Hotel Directly: While contacting the front desk won't guarantee an upgrade, you can check the hotel's website or app to see if the upgraded room types you desire are still available for booking. If they're sold out, your chances of a successful NUA are slim.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
How to use Nightly Upgrade Awards for multiple rooms?
You can use NUAs for a second room on the same reservation, but you must be present for the stay and the other room must be under your name. You would need to have enough awards to cover all nights for both rooms.
How to cancel a Nightly Upgrade Award request?
You can cancel an unconfirmed NUA request up until 2 p.m. local hotel time the day before arrival via the Marriott Bonvoy website or app. If your NUA is confirmed, you must cancel the entire reservation to get the award back.
How to check the expiration date of my Nightly Upgrade Awards?
You can check the expiration dates of your NUAs in your Marriott Bonvoy account under the "Awards" or "Benefits" section. They'll be valid until December 31 of the year following the year you earned them.
How to know which rooms are eligible for Nightly Upgrade Awards?
The eligible rooms and suites for an NUA are designated by the participating property. When you go to apply the awards to your reservation, the available upgrade options will be displayed on the screen.
How to increase my chances of a successful upgrade?
Be flexible with your room choices, apply for an upgrade as soon as you book, and consider booking at hotels that have a large number of suites or during off-peak times.
How to earn Nightly Upgrade Awards?
You can earn five Nightly Upgrade Awards as an Annual Choice Benefit after achieving 50 Elite Night Credits, and another five after achieving 75 Elite Night Credits within a calendar year.
How to apply Nightly Upgrade Awards on a points stay?
Nightly Upgrade Awards can be applied to both eligible paid stays and Award Redemption stays (booked with points). The process is the same for both.
How to use Nightly Upgrade Awards for a long stay?
You must have enough NUAs to cover every night of your stay. You cannot use them for only a portion of a multi-night reservation.
How to know if a specific hotel participates in Nightly Upgrade Awards?
The best way to know is to make a reservation and check your account details. If the hotel participates and your reservation is eligible, you will see the "Start Upgrade Request" link on the reservation page.
How to use Nightly Upgrade Awards with a mobile check-in?
Applying for an NUA is a separate process from mobile check-in. The NUA process happens in the days leading up to your stay. Once your upgrade is confirmed, it will be reflected in your reservation details when you do your mobile check-in.
